Video information processing apparatus and transmitter for transmitting information to the same

ABSTRACT

A video information processing apparatus includes an input device which inputs video, a memory device which stores identification information corresponding to the blinking pattern of a blinking light source, a blinking light decoder which converts the blinking pattern of the light source blinking in the video information input by the input device into corresponding identification information on the basis of the identification information stored in the memory device, and an output device which outputs together with the input video the identification information converted by the blinking light decoder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-139253, filed on May 12,2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a video information processingapparatus for processing video information on the basis ofidentification information of a subject and a transmitter fortransmitting identification information to the video informationprocessing apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, conventional video devices adopt a wireless transmission andreception method using infrared lights or the frequency band of GHz, andare widely applied to a television, videocassette recorder, radio LAN,and the like. A near field radio standard, Bluetooth, is also beingestablished.

Digital cameras which record video data received by solid state imagesensors such as CCDs in electronic memory devices instead of recordingvideo by chemical reaction on photographic printing paper are alsowidely spread.

To photograph as a job or hobby, a large number of photographs makelater rearrangement cumbersome. After days go by, the user can onlyconfirm the contents of video by browsing the video itself. On the otherhand, a method of adding a note to each subject when one video containsa plurality of subjects of interest has been proposed (Jpn. Pat. Appln.KOKAI Publication No. 6-343146). However, annotation is somewhatcumbersome.

A conventional monitor camera makes a person visually check camera videoand determine the necessity of a rescue. A subject himself/herselfcannot ask for a rescue without notifying another person of it. A victimwho is threatened to be injured if he/she reports the crime cannotreport the crime without notifying the attacker of it, though he/she isin front of the monitor camera.

A user inexperienced in capturing with a camera sometimes feels itdifficult to make a plurality of subjects fall within a capturing range.In capturing, a person who does not want to be captured may exist insubjects unrelated to capturing. In this case, his/her privacy isviolated.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a video informationprocessing apparatus capable of easily realizing video rearrangement,and multiplexing information onto video to record the video.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a videoinformation processing apparatus having a function of transferring thewill of a subject without notifying people around him/her of it.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a videoinformation processing apparatus capable of easily confirming that adesired subject reliably falls within a capturing image.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a video information processing apparatuscomprising an input device which inputs video, a memory device whichstores identification information corresponding to a blinking pattern ofa blinking light source, a blinking light decoder which converts theidentification information stored in the memory device intoidentification information corresponding to the blinking pattern of thelight source blinking in the video input by the input device, and anoutput device which outputs together with the input video theidentification information converted by the blinking light decoder.

When identification information is a URL, the video informationprocessing apparatus can automatically create a “clickable image” whichcan display an Internet page corresponding to a subject by clicking thesubject on a computer window. This eliminates a cumbersome operation ofadding information to video, other than image capturing.

The present invention provides a video information processing apparatuscomprising an input device which inputs video, a memory device whichstores identification information corresponding to a blinking pattern ofa blinking light source, a blinking light decoder which converts theidentification information stored in the memory device intoidentification information corresponding to the blinking pattern of thelight source blinking in the video input by the input device, and anoutput device which outputs together with the input video theidentification information converted by the blinking light decoder.

If identification information sent by a subject represents that “thesubject does not want to be captured”, part or all of the frame iscorrected, thereby protecting the privacy of the subject which does notwant to be captured. The video information processing apparatus of thepresent invention can also cope with a case wherein a subject permitscapturing and wants to receive his/her images later or a case wherein asubject wants accounting for his/her images.

The present invention provides a video information processing apparatuscomprising an input device which inputs video, a memory device whichstores identification information corresponding to a blinking pattern ofa blinking light source, a blinking light decoder which converts theidentification information stored in the memory device intoidentification information corresponding to the blinking pattern of thelight source blinking in the video input by the input device, and amessage output device which outputs a preset message in accordance withthe identification information converted by the blinking light decoder.

When a subject which sends “emergency” identification information fallswithin the capturing range, a rescue agency or police is automaticallynotified of this. A crime prevention camera installed in an ATM(Automatic Teller Machine) of a bank, convenience store, or urban areareads emergency identification information and automatically notifiesthe rescue agency of the emergency identification information withoutnotifying a subject (e.g., robber or molester) which threatens thetransmission source of this.

The present invention provides a video information processing apparatuscomprising an input device which inputs video, a memory device whichstores identification information corresponding to a blinking pattern ofa blinking light source, a blinking light decoder which converts theidentification information stored in the memory device intoidentification information corresponding to the blinking pattern of thelight source blinking in the video input by the input device, a locationdetector which detects a location of the blinking light source in thevideo, a subject memory device which stores identification informationrepresenting a subject to be detected, and a subject detector whichdetects a location of the subject having the identification informationthat is converted by the blinking light decoder and stored in thesubject memory device, on the basis of the location of the blinkinglight source detected by the location detector.

Identification information sent by a subject to be captured (not to becaptured) is registered in the video information processing apparatus ofthe present invention in advance. The camera senses whether the subjectto be captured (not to be captured) falls within the capturing range,and if it falls outside (falls within) the capturing range, notifies theuser of this. Alternatively, the camera automatically captures thesubject when the subject to be captured (not to be captured) enters(exits from) the capturing range. Even a user inexperienced in capturingcan easily capture a subject of interest within the frame.

The present invention also provides a transmitter which transmitsidentification information for each subject, for a video processingapparatus which processes video on the basis of identificationinformation of a subject. The transmitter comprises a blinking patternmemory device which stores a blinking pattern representingidentification information of a subject, and a light emitting devicewhich emits the blinking pattern stored in the blinking pattern memorydevice at a predetermined timing. This transmitter can transmitidentification information to the video processing apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video informationprocessing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of the blinking pattern dictionaryof the video information processing apparatus according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of output information of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video informationprocessing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of output information of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video informationprocessing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view showing an example of output information of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the third embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a view showing an example of output information of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing the operation flow of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a view showing an example of output information of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fifth embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a view for explaining region setting of controlling theprocessing operation of the video information processing apparatusaccording to the fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a transmitteraccording to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to the several views of the accompanying drawing. A videoinformation processing apparatus may be called a camera in the followingdescription for convenience, but the video information processingapparatus of the present invention is not limited to one integrated witha video camera. For example, a camera may be connected to a personalcomputer, and the personal computer may perform calculation processingsuch as read of identification information. Alternatively, a camera mayhave a function of transmitting captured video to a remote place byradio or wire communication, and, e.g., a personal computer whichreceives video may perform calculation processing such as read ofidentification information.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the firstembodiment according to the present invention. Video information isinput to an input device 101 such as a camera CCD, and separated intoprocessing video and displaying/recording video. At this time, theprocessing video and displaying/recording video have the same contents.

The processing video is sent to a blinking light decoder 104. As shownin the flow chart of FIG. 2, the blinking light decoder 104 determinesbased on video of several seconds whether a light source which blinks inaccordance with a predetermined rule exists in video (S301).

The predetermined rule is an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) protocolfor exchanging information by radio between infrared remote controllersfor remote-controlling home appliances such as a television receiver,videotape player, and air conditioner, between notebook type personalcomputers, or between a notebook type personal computer and a printer.The rule may be another rule.

The present invention does not limit a method of identifying thepresence/absence of blinks. An example of most easily finding blinks isto sum the luminance values of all pixels included in video and observea change in the sum for several frames. For example, the sum of theluminance values of all the pixels of three frames from given time is39321600, the sum of the luminance values of the next three frames is39322112, and the sum of the luminance values of the next three framesreturns to 39321600. In this case, if the camera angle is kept unchangedwithout any zooming or any moving object on a screen (e.g., a monitorcamera in an unattended area), some of pixels on the screen are supposedto blink.

As another recognition method, a window (part of the screen) forsearching for a blinking pixel may be limited, and blinking may bedetermined within this area by the same technique as described above. Ifa blinking pixel moves within the screen, the area itself may track themovement of the object. The tracking method in this case is generally apartial matching method using an optical flow for preceding andsucceeding frames.

If a light source which blinks in accordance with the predetermined ruleis found, the blinking light decoder 104 converts the blinking patterninto ID information (identification information) on the basis of ablinking pattern dictionary 103 (S302). FIG. 3 shows a storage examplebased on the blinking pattern dictionary. For example, lights-on andlights-off are respectively represented by 1 and 0. The blinking patternof a light source that represents “10010110” means a numeral “150”. Ablinking pattern “0100100001100101011011000110110001101111” means acharacter string “Hello”.

The converted ID information is sent to a related information outputdevice 106 together with or separately from the displaying/recordingvideo. The related information output device 106 multiplexes the IDinformation onto the displaying/recording video (S303). At this time,the video and identification signal are so multiplexed as to reconstructthe ID information in association with the video. If no video to beprocessed exists, the processing ends; if video to be processed exists,returns to processing in step S301 (S304).

Detection of a blinking pattern and multiplexing of ID information andvideo will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, video 201captured by a camera includes two blinking light sources 202. As aresult of decoding ID information from blinking patterns, it is foundthat one light source transmits ID information “(T) Kendall Station,Cambridge” and the other transmits ID information “Food Court, OpenHours 8 am-7 pm”. In this case, the one-to-one correspondence betweenthe light sources and ID information is not specified.

An example of multiplying ID information and video uses a sound. Morespecifically, the video 201 is recorded as motion video, and IDinformation 203 is recorded as a sound on a sound track. As anothermethod, a video digital file includes the ID information 203. An areafor recording additional information can be formed in a still videodigital data format such as JPEG (Joint Photographic coding ExpertsGroup) and a motion video digital data format such as MPEG (MovingPicture Experts Group). ID information may be recorded in thisadditional information area. Alternatively, video and ID information maybe output as video and text files, respectively. The video output inassociation with the ID information can be exploited as follows.

For example, video of a captured historic spot at a sight-seeing placeincludes a light source blinking in accordance with the above-describedpredetermined rule, and the historic spot is commented by blinking.Another day, the user can display the comment of the historic spotrecorded as ID information or listen to the comment by sound whilewatching the video. When a URL (Uniform Resource Locator: analphanumeric string indicating the location of an information source onthe Internet) indicating an information access point on the Internet isused as ID information, the user can obtain more detailed informationvia the Internet in browsing the captured video on a computer.

Captured video or ID information may not always be recorded oraccumulated. In a wearable computer system which allows the user toalways put on a small-size camera, if the camera receives ID information“milk is discounted 30% for 15 min from now” on a shop's signboard, thisis provided to the user (person who carries the camera on him/her) bydisplay or sound.

In this manner, video data on which ID information is multiplexed isoutput from the related information output device 106, and recorded on arecording medium (not shown) or transmitted to another processingapparatus (not shown).

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video informationprocessing apparatus according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention. An input device 401, blinking pattern dictionary 403,blinking light decoder 404, and related information output device 406 inFIG. 5 correspond to the input device 101, blinking pattern dictionary103, blinking light decoder 104, and related information output device106 in FIG. 1, respectively. In the video information processingapparatus of the second embodiment, a location detector 409 is added tothe video information processing apparatus according to the firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation procedures of the videoinformation processing apparatus according to the second embodiment.Video input from the input device 401 is separated intodisplaying/recording video, blinking inspecting video, a and blinkinglocation observing video. The three video images have the same contents.Similar to the first embodiment, the blinking light decoder 404determines whether a light source which blinks in accordance with apredetermined rule exists in video (S601), and converts the blinkingpattern into ID information on the basis of the blinking patterndictionary 403 (S602).

The location detector 409 calculates a location in the video where thepixel transmits the blinking pattern converted into the ID informationby the blinking light decoder 404 (S603), and sends the locationinformation and the ID information converted from the blinking patternto the related information output device 406. The related informationoutput device 406 multiplexes the ID information with the location ontothe video and outputs them, similar to the first embodiment (S604). Ifno video to be processed exists, the processing ends; if video to beprocessed exists, processing returns to step S601 (S605).

As described in the first embodiment of the present invention, theobject tracking method using an optical flow is generally used as anexample of a method of calculating the location of a blinking lightsource in video in step S603. However, the present invention does notlimit the position calculation method to this.

FIG. 7 shows an application when a location is specified in the aboveway and ID information is multiplexed and recorded. Video 501 includestwo blinking light sources 502. The blinking light source attached abovethe entrance blinks with a pattern “Food Court, Open Hours 8 am-7 pm”,and the light source attached on the side wall surface blinks with ablinking pattern “Kendall Station, Cambridge”.

These patterns include pieces of location information of the blinkinglight sources, so that the pieces of location information can bedisplayed as “balloons” 503 near the positions of the light sources 502.The use of such video realizes the following effects in addition tothose of the first embodiment.

For example, video of a captured historic spot at a sight-seeing placeincludes a light source blinking in accordance with the above-describedpredetermined rule, and respective portions (temple, shrine, monument,plant, and the like) at the historic spot are commented by blinking. Theuser designates a subject of interest in playing back the video anotherday, and can display the comment of each portion at the historic spotrecorded as ID information or listen to the comment by sound. When a URLindicating an information access point on the Internet is used as IDinformation, the user can obtain more detailed information via theInternet for each subject in browsing the captured video on a computer(clickable image).

Captured video or ID information may not always be recorded oraccumulated. In a wearable computer system which allows the user toalways put on a glass-shaped display, if a camera receives IDinformation “milk is discounted 30% for 15 min from now” on a shop'ssignboard within the field of view of the camera, this is provided tothe user such that he/she can immediately understand on the display theshop which discounts milk.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a video informationprocessing apparatus according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention. An input device 701, blinking pattern dictionary 703, andblinking light decoder 704 in FIG. 8 are identical to the input device101, blinking pattern dictionary 103, and blinking light decoder 104 inFIG. 1, respectively. The third embodiment employs a video processingdevice 706 in place of the related information output device 106. FIG. 9is a flow chart for explaining the third embodiment of the presentinvention.

Similar to the first embodiment, the blinking light decoder 704determines whether a light source blinking in accordance with apredetermined rule exists in video input from the input device 701(S901), and converts the blinking pattern into ID information on thebasis of the blinking pattern dictionary 703 (S902).

If the ID information sent from the blinking light decoder 704 requestsvideo processing (S903), the video processing device 706 processes thevideo and outputs the processed video (S904). If no video to beprocessed exists, the processing ends; if video to be processed exists,processing returns to step S901 (S905).

FIG. 10 shows an application when a location is specified in the aboveway and ID information is multiplexed and recorded. For example, if asubject 803 in video 801 has a tag 802 which transmits ID information“don't take a picture of me”, video processing device 706 smudges the“don't take a picture of me” portion, e.g., blacks the portion, orwrites a character or sign representing “don't take a picture of me” inthe video, and then outputs the processed video.

If the video information processing apparatus comprises a means forspecifying a tag (blinking light source) which transmits given IDinformation in video, like the video information processing apparatusaccording to the second embodiment of the present invention, the videoprocessing device 706 outputs video 804 obtained by blacking only thesubject 803 which transmits the ID information “don't take a picture ofme” or performing “blurring” or “mosaicking” (masked subject)

As a method of calculating the area of a tagged person from the locationof the tag looked like a point in video, video is finely meshed (ordivided in a plurality of video elements), a motion vector at eachportion of the video (vector representing a position to which eachportion of the mesh moves between the current and next frames) iscalculated, and a portion having a motion vector different from that ofthe background is regarded as one subject area. As another method, anarea is expanded from a tagged portion (part of a subject body), and animage up to a portion where the hue histogram or the like greatlychanges is regarded as a subject. These methods are called objectextraction techniques, and various methods are proposed. The presentinvention does not depend on a specific object extraction technique.

Instead of extracting an object, an area having a prescribed area may beautomatically corrected to “20 pixels in radius around a tag”.

Subject-transmitting ID information is not limited to “don't take apicture of me”. For example, when a subject transmits the name, URL, orthe like, the video processing device 706 may perform video processingof writing the name or URL near the tagged subject.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a videoinformation processing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment ofthe present invention. An input device 1001, blinking pattern dictionary1003, and blinking light decoder 1004 in FIG. 11 correspond to the inputdevice 101, blinking pattern dictionary 103, and blinking light decoder104 in FIG. 1, respectively. The fourth embodiment exploits a messageoutput device 1006 instead of the related information output device 106.FIG. 12 is a flow chart for explaining the procedures of the fourthembodiment of the present invention.

Assume that a camera attached to an ATM of a bank or a room where theATM is installed is the input device 1001 of the present invention, anda subject which transmits an “emergency (rescue request)” enters thefield of view of the camera. Similar to the first embodiment, theblinking light decoder 1004 determines whether a light source blinkingin accordance with a predetermined rule exists in video input from theinput device 1001 (S1201), and converts the blinking pattern into IDinformation on the basis of the blinking pattern dictionary 1003(S1202).

If the ID information sent from the blinking light decoder 1004 requeststhe output of a message (Yes in S1203), the message output device 1006outputs a message (S1204). If no video to be processed exists, theprocessing ends; if video to be processed exists, processing returns tostep S1201 (S1205).

FIG. 13 shows video representing this example. Video 1101 captured by acamera shows a person 1102 standing near an ATM, and, e.g., a robber1104 who threatens the person 1102 exists behind the person 1102. Notethat the robber 1104 need not fall within the video range captured bythe camera.

The person 1102 wants to report that the person 1102 is threatened,without notifying the robber 1104 of this report in order to avoid anyinjury to the person 1102. For this purpose, the person 1102 sets ablinking light source (tag) 1103 put on him/her by operating a buttonswitch to transmit an emergency signal.

This emergency signal is supplied by blinking an infrared LED, so therobber 1104 cannot visually recognize it. The person 1102 can expresshis/her will of asking for a rescue without notifying the robber 1104 ofthis.

The emergency signal emitted by the blinking light source 1103 is inputas an ID signal to the input device 1001 of the present invention, andthe emergency signal decoded by the blinking light decoder 1004 is sentto the message output device 1006. Upon reception of the emergencysignal, the message output device 1006 transfers the message to a rescueagency. A transfer method to a rescue agency includes various methodsusing a telephone, the Internet, and a dedicated message line, and anymethod can be employed. By transmitting the captured video in additionto the emergency signal, the rescue agency can grasp the situation ofthe site in more detail.

When a subject in video that transmits an emergency signal is sensed, asdescribed in the second embodiment, the emergency signal is transmittedtogether with the video and location information to the rescue agency,which enables specifying the subject to be rescued without notifying athreatening subject (e.g., robber or molester) of this.

Applications of the present invention are not limited to emergencies. Asfor an ATM, if a handicapped person puts on him/her a tag whichtransmits ID information representing that he/she is handicapped, a bankstaff can be notified that the customer who needs assistance comes tothe ATM. At a public place such as a railroad station, when ahandicapped person comes near to a thicket gate, the nearest ticket gateis automatically opened or a station attendant is notified of the needof assistance. According to the features of the present invention, in anenvironment where a monitor camera is installed, the monitor camera isreplaced by the video information processing apparatus of the presentinvention so that transmitted ID information can be received withoutnewly installing a radio receiver.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of a videoinformation processing method or apparatus according to the fifthembodiment of the present invention. An input device 1301, blinkingpattern dictionary 1303, blinking light decoder 1304, and locationdetector 1309 in FIG. 14 correspond to the input device 401, blinkingpattern dictionary 403, blinking light decoder 404, and locationdetector 409 in FIG. 5, respectively. The fifth embodiment adopts asubject detector 1306 instead of the related information output device406.

FIG. 15 is a flow chart for explaining the procedures of the fifthembodiment of the present invention. When a light source expected toexist within the capturing video range of a camera falls outside thecapturing field of view, the user is notified of this.

Similar to the second embodiment, the blinking light decoder 1304 checkswhether a light source blinking in accordance with a predetermined ruleexists in video (S1601), and converts the blinking pattern into IDinformation on the basis of the blinking pattern dictionary 1303(S1602).

The location detector 1309 calculates a location in the video where thepixel transmits the blinking pattern converted into the ID informationby the blinking light decoder 1304 (S1603), and sends the locationinformation and the ID information converted from the blinking patternto the subject detector 1306. The subject detector 1306 determineswhether ID information registered in advance has been read (S1604).

If No in step S1604, the subject detector outputs that all subjects falloutside the frame (S1605). If no video to be processed exists, theprocessing ends; if video to be processed exists, processing returns tostep S1601 (S1606). Assume that four friends travel with a camera havingthe video information processing function of the present invention. Thefour friends act while putting on infrared ID tags (devices fortransmitting unique ID information by infrared lights) serving asblinking light sources. The numbers of the four ID tags are known, andthe four numbers are stored in the camera in advance. Processing in thiscase will be explained with reference to FIG. 16.

FIG. 16 shows persons 1402, 1404, 1406, and 1408 as subjects. They puton infrared ID tags 1403, 1405, 1407, and 1409, respectively. Thesubject detector 1306 stores the four numbers as subjects.

In capturing the persons, whether the four tags fall within thecapturing field of view is checked prior to capturing. In FIG. 16, onlythe tags “1403”, “1405”, and “1407” are received as a result of decodingpieces of blinking information within a capturing area 1401 by theblinking light decoder 1304. In this example, the positions of theinfrared tags in the video need not be specified, and the locationdetector 1309 outputs only the pieces of decoded ID information, i.e.,the three numbers as ID information. An example using the location willbe described later.

The subject detector 1306 compares the three numbers with the prestoredfour numbers, and detects that only the three numbers have been receivedin the capturing area 1401. The video information processing apparatusof the present invention notifies the user that not all the persons fallwithin the capturing field of view, by using a warning display in theviewfinder of the camera, a warning message such as a warning sound orvoice, or a vibrator. This makes it easy for the user to always capturethe three friends.

In the above description, the video information processing apparatus ofthe present invention determines only the presence/absence of a lightsource predicted to exist within the video range. By defining a warningarea in the capturing field of view, a similar warning display or voicecan be provided when a light source exists within the warning area. InFIG. 17, an outer solid frame 1501 represents a capturing area, and anarea between the solid frame 1501 and a dotted frame 1502 is set as awarning area.

If, for example, a light source exists in the warning area, the videoinformation processing apparatus can output a warning message “thesubject having this light source may fall outside the frame incapturing”. This method can be conversely used to provide a display orvoice representing that the four friends fall within the capturing fieldof view and notify the user that preparations are made for the purpose(of capturing all the four friends).

Letting B be the warning area and A be the video area (inside the dottedframe 1502) of the remaining capturing field of view, the user can bewarned that a light source moves from area A to area B, and can benotified that a light source enters area B from an area outside thecapturing field of view.

As a modification, it is also possible to check whether a predeterminednumber of light sources fall within the capturing field of view and whena light source emitting predetermined ID information falls within thecapturing field of view, automatically perform capturing.

To the contrary, it is also possible to check whether a predeterminedlight source falls within the capturing field of view and when a lightsource emitting ID information designated in advance falls outside thecapturing field of view, automatically perform capturing. A reason ofperforming capturing when registered ID information falls outside thecapturing field of view is that a person who does not want to becaptured may exist in the party. If one person does not want to becaptured, no capturing is done while the person exists in the field ofview.

The camera itself may comprise a driving unit capable of voluntarilychanging the location, direction, and capturing range. In this case, ifa predetermined light source falls or is going to fall outside thecapturing field of view, the camera instructs the driving unit to makethe light source fall within the capturing field of view and adjusts theprospective light source so as to fall within the capturing field ofview.

Assume that the user travels with three friends, as described in thefifth embodiment, and is to capture all the four people by using aself-timer. At this time, if predetermined light sources (four lightsources of the four people) fall outside the capturing field of view,the camera adjusts the lens to the telephoto side so as to make a widerrange fall within the capturing field of view, or drives the capturingdirection in the top-to-bottom and right-to-left directions so as tomake all the four light sources fall within the capturing field of view.Accordingly, even capturing using a self-timer can be achieved withoutany failure.

The optical system may be automatically adjusted by physically changingthe lens position or direction. Alternatively, the apparatus may hold alarge video range as a capturing candidate range in advance, and acapturing target range may be selected in capturing so as to include anexpected light source. The user may be prompted to capture after thecapturing field of view is adjusted, or the apparatus may automaticallycapture.

To the contrary, the camera can be adjusted not to include apredetermined light source within the capturing range.

When the camera is fixed, the user can discriminate between a backgroundand an object in view of an image level. In other words, it can berecognized that a portion corresponding to a difference between an imageincluding a person and an image including no person is a moved person.The shape of a moved person is obtained by using the object portionincluding a blinking light source as a mask.

If the present invention is applied to a personal computer having acamera function, the personal computer can be locked when a personexcept for a registered person approaches the personal computer.

When the person putting a blinking light source moves in a video frame,the camera can trace the moving person.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a transmitterserving as a blinking light source. This transmitter comprises ablinking pattern memory device 180 which stores a blinking patterncorresponding to ID information, a timing generator 182 for generatingan emission timing in accordance with a pattern stored in the blinkingpattern memory device, and a light emitting device 184 for emittinglight with the blinking pattern on the basis of a timing generated bythe timing generator.

The transmitter can adopt an arbitrary form. For example, thetransmitter may be attached to a shop or the information board of ahistoric spot or may be attached like a badge to a person.

Processing in each embodiment of the video information processingapparatus according to the present invention can be implemented by aprogram executable by a computer, and this program can be implemented asa computer-readable storage medium.

The storage medium in the present invention is not limited in storageformat as far as the storage medium such as a magnetic disk, floppydisk, hard disk, optical disk (CD-ROM, CD-R, DVD, or the like),magnetooptical disk (MO or the like), or semiconductor memory can storethe program and is readable by a computer.

Some of processes for implementing each embodiment may be executed by anOS (Operating System) running on a computer or MW (MiddleWare) such asdatabase management software or network on the basis of an instructionfrom a program installed in a computer from a storage medium.

The storage medium in the present invention includes not only a mediumindependent of a computer, but also a storage medium which stores ortemporarily stores a program transmitted and downloaded from a LAN, theInternet, or the like.

The storage medium is not limited to one, and includes a plurality ofmedia from which processing in each embodiment is executed. The mediumcan adopt any arrangement.

The computer in the present invention executes each processing in eachembodiment on the basis of a program stored in a storage medium, and maybe one apparatus such as a personal computer or a system in which aplurality of apparatuses are connected via a network.

The computer in the present invention is not limited to a personalcomputer, and includes an arithmetic processing apparatus ormicrocomputer included in an information processor. Devices andapparatuses capable of realizing the functions of the present inventionby programs are generally named computers.

The video information processing apparatus or transmitter of the presentinvention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The presentinvention can be variously modified within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

As has been described above, the video information processing method orapparatus of the present invention can read tag-emitting ID informationby video processing and variously process the video.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A video information processing apparatus associated with a blinkinglight source, comprising: an input device configured to input videoinformation; a memory device configured to store identificationinformation corresponding to a blinking pattern of the blinking lightsource; blinking light decoder for converting the blinking pattern ofthe blinking light source, blinking in the video information input bysaid input device, into corresponding identification information on thebasis of the identification information stored in said memory device;and a video processing device configured to selectively process theinput video in accordance with the identification information convertedby said blinking light decoder, wherein said blinking light decoderincludes means for dividing a video in a number of video elementsarranged in a matrix pattern, means for calculating a motion vector ateach of the video elements and means for determining as a region to beprocessed a portion having a motion vector different from a background.2. A video information processing apparatus associated with a blinkinglight source, comprising: an input device configured to input videoinformation; a memory device configured to store identificationinformation corresponding to a blinking pattern of the blinking lightsource; blinking light decoder for converting the blinking pattern ofthe blinking light source, blinking in the video information input bysaid input device, into corresponding identification information on thebasis of the identification information stored in said memory device;and a video processing device configured to selectively process theinput video in accordance with the identification information convertedby said blinking light decoder, wherein said blinking light decoderincludes a detector configured to detect as a region to be processed aportion where a hue histogram greatly changes in a video region expandedfrom a portion of the blinking light source.